Dust guard for journal boxes



Feb. 23, 1960 J. D. HERR ETAL DUST GUARD FOR JOURNAL BOXES Filed June21, 1957 INVENTORS ,0]Z/Il D.H81Im BY Dwk mmm '5:

ATTORNEYS United States Patent DUST GUARD FOR JOURNAL BOXES John D. Herrand Dick W. Mount, Minerva, Ohio Application June 21, 1957, Serial No.667,103

2 Claims. (Cl. 286-6) The invention relates to dust guards for thejournal boxes of railway cars, and more particularly to a dust guardcomprising a plurality of pivotally connected arcuate sections forming acomplete annulus.

Under present practice, the dust guards in general use in the journalboxes of railway cars usually comprise a single member of wood which isplaced in the journal box before the axle is assembled therein. Thisconstruction also requires removal of the journal from the journal boxbefore the dust guard can be removed, when it is necessary to replacethe dust guard.

The American Railroad Association has issued orders to have all wasteremoved from journal boxes and to have the same replaced by mechanicalor semi-mechanical lubricators. For this reason a more efficient dustguard is now necessary because many of the types of lubricators thatwill replace waste will be at least partially defeated in their purposeby an excess of contamination in the journal box.

Owing to the fact that such dust guards as are at present in common useare generally formed of wood, such as plywood, considerable trouble hasbeen experienced in the past because of breakage of dust guards in use,damage to the dust guard frequently being caused by the insertion of thejournal into the journal box.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a dustguard for journal boxes which will overcome the above-mentionedobjections and disadvantages.

Another object is to provide such a dust guard comprising a plurality ofarcuate sections, pivotally connected together to form a completeannulus adapted to fit around the journal.

A further object is to provide a dust guard of the character referred towhich may be inserted into the journal box while the journal is locatedtherein, and which may be removed from the journal box without firstremoving the journal therefrom.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dust guard of this typeformed of metal such as aluminum, or comprising molded plastic sections.

A further object is to provide such a dust guard constructed so that itmay revolve with the axle, or in which the axle may revolve.

A still further object is to provide a dust guard of this characterhaving vanes thereon for circulating air to cool the journal.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a dust guard formed ofa plurality of pivotally connected sections with spring means forholding the same around the axle.

Another object is to provide a dust guard of the type referred to havinga peripheral eye or loop in its upper side for engagement by a hookedtool for removing the dust guard from the journal box.

A further object is to provide such a dust guard in which the arcuatesections thereof are of generally channel cross-sectional shape.

The above objects together with others which will be apparent from thedrawing and following description, or which may be later referred to,may be attained by constructing the improved dust guard in the mannerillustrated in the drawing and hereinafter described in detail.

In general terms the invention may be briefly described as comprising adust guard for a railway car journal box. The dust guard is formed of aplurality of arcuate sections of cast metal such as aluminum, or ofmolded plastic, pivotally connected together to form a complete annulus.t

The abutting end sections of the dust guard are normally disconnected,so that the dust guard may be easily inserted into a journal box afterthe same is assembled on a car truck. Means, such as a coil spring, isprovided for detachably connecting these sections together after thedust guard is installed in the journal box, and for compensating forwear.

Spring means are provided at the pivotal points in the dust guard forurging the several arcuate sections thereof toward the axle. The dustguard is so constructed and assembled that it may revolve in the dustguard chamber of the journal box, or the axle may revolve within thedust guard in event that the dust guard may accidentally be held againstrotation in the dust guard chamber.

Each of the arcuate sections forming the dust guard is preferably ofgenerally channel cross-sectional shape, and vanes are formed thereonfor circulating air to cool the journal. An eye or loop is provided atthe top of the dust guard for engagement by a hooked tool for easilyremoving the dust guard from the journal box.

Having thus briefly described the invention, reference is now made tothe accompanying drawing showing a preferred embodiment of the improveddust guard, in

which Fig. l is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional railwaycar journal box, showing the dust guard embodying the inventioninstalled therein;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 22, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the journal box showing themanner in which the dust guard may be inserted after the journal box isassembled with the axle therein;

Fig. 4 is a detached perspective view of the dust guard;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view showing a modified form of springat a pivotal joint; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary edge view of the modification of Fig. 5.

Referring now more particularly to the embodiment of the inventionillustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 of the drawings, in which similar numeralsrefer to similar parts throughout the several views, a conventional typeof railway car journal box is indicated generally at 10.

The journal portion of a car axle 11 is shown at 12, located within thejournal box, the upper side of the journal contacting the usual brass orbearing 13, which is held in position within the box by the conventionalkey 14, which is normally locked in position by the key lock 14'.

The journal box is provided at its outer end with the usual cover 15.Packing or waste may be located in the journal box for lubricating thejournal, or any desired type of lubricating device may be providedtherefor, but since neither the packing nor the lubricating device formsany part of the present invention, they are not shown.

As is customary in such journal boxes, a dust guard chamber or well 16is provided in the inner end of the journal box. This chamber or well isin the form of a recess extending entirely around the journal box andcompletely closed at the bottom and sides, and having the inner andouter walls 17 and 18 respectively, with the usual circular centralopenings 19 for the reception of the axle 11.

The improved dust guard to which the invention pertains is indicatedgenerally at 20, and is adapted to be located within the well 16 andaround the axle 11 as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. This dust guard is soconstructed that it may be inserted into the well and around the axle,or removed therefrom, while the journal box is assembled upon the truckframe with the axle received therein.

For this purpose the dust guard is formed of a plurality of arcuatesections pivotally connected together to form an annulus, normally openat one point so that it may be inserted into the well in the journal boxand located around the axle.

Four of such arcuate sections are shown in the drawings. The two centralsections are indicated generally at 21 and 22, pivotally connected toeach other at 23.

The two end sections are indicated generally at 24- and 25, the section24 being pivoted to the section 21 at 26, and the section 25 beingpivoted to the section 22 at 27. The other ends of the sections 24 and25 are normally unattached so that the annular dust guard may beseparated at this point for easily and readily inserting it into thewell of the journal box and around the axle, as indicated in Fig. 3.

The arcuate sections of the dust guard may be cast or otherwise formedof aluminum or other suitable material, or may be molded of any suitableplastic material, and each section is preferably of substantiallychannel cross-sectional shape, having the peripheral flanges 28 at eachside thereof.

The arcuate section 22 has a recess 29 in one end thereof receiving theear or extension 30 upon the adjacent end of the arcuate section 21,which is pivoted in said recess by the pivot pin 23. A similar ear 31 isformed upon the other end of the arcuate section 21 and received in asimilar recess 32 in the arcuate section 24, being pivoted therein bythe pivot pin 26.

Upon the other end of the arcuate section 22, an car 33 is formed, whichis received in the recess 34 in the adjacent end of the arcuate section25 and pivoted therein by the pivot pin 27. Anear 35 is formed upon theother end of the arcuate section 24 to be received within the recess 36in the free end of the arcuate section 25.

As shown in the drawings, suflicient space is provided between theopposed ends of the end sections 24 and 25 so as to compensate for wearon the inner surfaces of the dust guard sections and to permit thesections to be held in contact with the journal.

There is no pivot pin at this point, as the free ends of the arcuatesections 24 and 25 are normally detached so that the annular sectionaldust guard may be opened at this point in the manner shown in Fig. 3, tobe inserted into the dust guard well 16 of the journal box, the sections24 and 25 thereof being inserted in opposite sides of the axle 12 in themanner shown in said figure.

For the purpose of urging the several pivoted sections toward the axle,after the dust guard is inserted as shown in Fig. 2, springs such as theleaf springs 37, are provided adjacent to the pivotal points of the dustguard.

One of these leaf springs is shown in Fig. 2 as connected to theperipheral portion of each ear 30 and 31 of the arcuate section 21 andextending over the adjacent pivotal points for engagement with theadjacent end portions of the sections 22 and 24, and one spring 37 isattached to the peripheral portion of the car 33 of the section 22 andextends over the pivotal point 27 for engagement with the arcuatesection 25. These springs are located between the peripheral flanges 28of the sections.

For the purpose of connecting the sections 24 and 25 together, after thedust guard has been installed, so as to hold the same around the axle12, a coil spring or the like as indicated at 38 may be attached tosuitable books or studs 39 adjacent to the free ends of the sections 24and 25.

This spring may be assembled upon the dust guard after the same isinstalled in the well 16 and around the axle 12, by rotating the dustguard to bring the sections 24 and 25 to the top where the studs orbooks 39 will be accessible for attachment of the coil spring 38.

The dust guard, when assembled around the axle, may be so constructedand proportioned that it will fit snugly upon the axle so that it willrotate therewith, in event the dust guard may he accidentally wedged orstuck in the dust guard chamber.

In case the dust guard is so mounted upon the axle that it will rotatetherewith, means may be provided for circulating air around the axle tocool the same, such means being shown as vanes 40 located radially uponthe several sections of the dust guard between the peripheral flanges 28thereof.

For the purpose of easily removing the dust guard from the journal box,in the event it is desired to replace or repair the same, one or moreeyes or loops 41 may be provided at spaced points upon the severalsections of the dust guard for engagement by a hooked tool or the likefor pulling the dust guard upwardly out of the well.

For this purpose it will be understood that in the event the coil spring38 is used to connect the free ends of the arcuate sections 24 and 25together, the dust guard should first be rotated so as to bring thiscoil spring to the top where it will be accessible through the open topof the well in order that the spring 38 may be removed, after which thedust guard may be again rotated around the axle to bring the pivotalpoint between the sections 21 and 22 upward in order that a hooked toolmay engage the proper eye or loop 41 to pull the dust guard upward outof the well 16 and out of engagement with the axle 12.

In Figs. 5 and 6 is shown a modification of the spring means at thepivotal points for urging the pivoted sections of the dust guard towardthe journal. Adjacent portions of two pivoted sections of the dust guardare indicated generally at 45 and 46. The section 45 has a spaced pairof ears 47 at its end, between which is received the reduced end 48 ofthe section 46.

The two sections are pivotally connected together by the pivot pin 49,located through the cars 47 of the section 45 and through the reducedend 48 of the section 46. A substantially V-shape recess 50 is formed inthe outer side of the reduced end portion 48 of the section 46.

Within the recess 50 is located a spring having the coil 51 locatedaround the pivot pin 49 and the outwardly diverging arms 52 terminatingin the oppositely disposed end portions 53 contacting the peripheralportions of the sections 45 and 46 and urging them inwardly around thepivot pin 49, so as to hold the pivoted sectioned dust guard around thejournal.

From the above it will be obvious that a simple, efficient and durabledust guard is provided which overcomes the disadvantages and objectionsto prior art dust guards, and which is so constructed that it may beinserted into the well of the journal box and located around the axle orremoved therefrom, while the axle is assembled within the journal box.

This of course is a great advantage, as in such dust guards as are nowgenerally in use, it is necessary that the one-piece dust guard, or atleast the lower section of two-piece dust guards be first inserted intothe well be fore the journal box is assembled upon the truck to re ceivethe journal portion of the axle.

As above pointed out, this frequently causes damage to the portion ofthe dust guard previously installed. Furthermore, in dust guards such asare at present in use, in order to remove a dust guard for replacement,it is necessary that the journal box be knocked down or disassembledfrom the truck, with the axle removed from the journal box in order toremove the dust guard the journal box.

It will also be evident that the improved dust guard will not interferewith jacking up the journal box for repairs so that the key may beremoved in order to remove and replace the brass.

In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity,clearness and understanding, but no unnecessary limitations are to beimplied therefrom beyond the requirements of the prior art, because suchwords are used'for descriptive purposes herein and are intended to bebroadly construed.

Moreover, the embodiments of the improved construction illustrated anddescribed herein are by way of example, and the scope of the presentinvention is not limited to the exact details of construction.

Having now described the invention or discovery, the construction, theoperation, and use of preferred embodiments thereof, and theadvantageous new and useful results obtained thereby; the new and usefulconstruction, and reasonable mechanical equivalents therwf obvious tothose skilled in the art, are set forth in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A dust guard for a journal box having a well at its inner end formedby spaced inner and outer walls with openings therethrough receiving anaxle, saidwellhaving an open upper end through which the dust guard isinserted said dust guard comprising a plurality of arcuate sectionspivotally connected together and forming a complete annulus locatedaround the axle within said well, means holding the dust guard upon theaxle so that it will rotate therewith, within said well, and vanes uponthe dust guard for circulating air around the axle.

2. A dust guard for a journal box having a well at its inner end formedby spaced inner and outer walls with openings therethrough receiving anaxle, said well having an open upper end through which the dust guard isinserted said dust guard comprising a plurality of arcuate sectionspivotally connected together and forming a complete annulus locatedaround the axle within said well, said arcuate sections being of channelcross section, means holding the dust guard upon the axle so that itwill rotate therewith, and transversely disposed vanes in said channelsfor circulating air around the axle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS451,196 Godley Apr. 28, 1891 688,754 Tazewell Dec. 10, 1901 751,306Lafferty Feb. 2, 1904 1,121,316 Williams Dec. 15, 1914 2,017,615 BaryOct. 15, 1935 2,223,519 Hornschuch Dec. 3, 1940 2,397,753 Sale Apr. 2,1946 2,638,363 Bryant May 12, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 296,770 Great BritainAug. 13, 1929 468,847 Germany Nov. 24, 1928

